THE VIEWFINDERNEWSLETTER: ISSUE No 42, DECEMBER 2005 [End of Year Message] [Elephant Translocation] [An Eventful Year For Kenya] [Park Fees to Increase] [Change in Company] [PS]
As we look back on another busy year we would like to wish all the 69 film crews who have come through our hands this year, as well as all our other many friends and colleagues from previous years, the very best of everything over the holiday period. May the holiday season pass peacefully and happily. Let us all hope that wonderful wildlife programmes will continue to be made and enjoyed by an ever-increasing audience. Technology seems to keep racing ahead, and almost each crew that comes has some new equipment that will revolutionise filming in one way or another.
This time we bring you a picture of an extraordinary flower. The plant is a 'fish bone cactus' (sp. Epiphyllum?) which has been spectacularly unimpressive for several years. It was moved from a pot into the crook of a tree some time ago to make space for something else, and had almost been forgotten. Suddenly it blossomed, and is now dripping with flowers. The translocation team successfully moved about 150 elephants comprising 22 families from Mwaluganje to Tsavo East in the months of August and September. The exercise was then halted because of heavy rains at the coast, and will be resumed in January, weather and road conditions permitting. This exercise, when completed, will be the largest movement of elephants ever attempted anywhere. A number of events have taken place in Kenya in 2005, many of them unprecedented, many of them beyond understanding, and some of them even pleasantly surprising. Most important for the country, the Government's version of a new Constitution for the country was put to the vote, and on 21 November Kenya had its first referendum. The Government-backed 'yes' band (banana) predicted a victory but early into a full day of peaceful voting it was very clear that they would be defeated. The 'no' (orange) supporters won a resounding victory and there followed an atmosphere of euphoria not seen since the last general election. Campaigning for the voting was questionable and heavily criticised, as the Government appeared to be treating the entire exercise as one of collecting votes for the next election. Large amounts of (tax payers') money were spent in coercing the public into voting for a Constitution that was clearly flawed in many areas. People who had been evicted from the Mau forest were "given" new land. The world famous Amboseli National Park was by Presidential decree "downgraded" to a national reserve, and control "given back" to the local council. Several environmental and conservation bodies led by the EA Wildlife Society took the matter to court, saying that this action was illegal - and won. The situation now is that Kenya Wildlife Service, who have been running the park since 1974, refuse to leave until they are satisfied that the letter of the law has been followed. Following the results of the referendum, the Government admitted defeat and the President promptly fired the entire Cabinet, with the exception of the Vice President (who was stripped of his role as Minister for Home Affairs). A new cabinet is expected to be announced within two weeks, and we can only wait and see whether some of the bad eggs will be removed from office, or whether they will be reinstated wearing different hats. Kenya Wildlife Service has announced that Park fees have been reviewed, and propose new entry fees to National Parks effective from July 2006. The National Parks have been reclassified, and those with a high rate of visitors will charge as much as double the current rate, up to US$40 per day. Those with few visitors will charge half the current rate. Another change that has been suggested is that entry fees will be reduced during the low season. The new rates must be gazetted by the Minister for Tourism, but since we have no Ministers at the moment this has not happened yet. Earlier the year, we applied to become an EPZ company. This stands for Export Promotion Zone, and is part of the Government's plan to encourage investment. Several other film-related companies are already registered and approved since they felt there was a need to encourage foreign production companies to film in Kenya, and to offer incentives for them to do so. The advantage of being part of EPZ is that local film agents are exempted from having to pay VAT of 16% on all expenses paid on behalf of their overseas clients. This means a considerable reduction to film makers in the cost of things like the hire of local crew, cameras, sound and grip equipment, radios and satellite communications, also the cost of air charters, car hire, and hotel accommodation. Our application has been approved, and a new company Viewfinders EPZ Ltd. has been registered. This company will work in parallel with the existing company (which will continue to operate on a small scale for local clients). Opening new bank accounts etc. will take a little while but it is expected that before Christmas we will be operating under the new name. It amuses us that Time magazine's nominee for the "female personality of the year" is Mother Nature. She has certainly made her presence felt on several occasions - surely a reminder that she should be treated with much more respect.
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